Chapter 416: Recent Developments in Zhuming Palace

Chapter 416: Recent Developments in Zhuming Palace

In the Tahe Sect, the elder from Zhuming Palace who had been staying for over half a month was growing restless.

In the Tahe Sect, there were three alchemy workshops named Jia, Yi, and Bing.

Although various delicacies and recreational activities were arranged for the elder daily, he was becoming increasingly impatient.

Reaching such a high position as an elder in Zhuming Palace, one would not be easily swayed by mere pleasures.

The three alchemy workshops, however, were thrilled.

The Tahe Sect's alchemy workshops were relatively inferior compared to many other major sects, often failing to meet even the demands of their own disciples.

During the elder's visit, the three workshops had received invaluable guidance.

Such insights were rarely obtained, even with a thousand gold coins.

Yet, with just a few casual words, they gained profound enlightenment.

On this day, the elder from Zhuming Palace could no longer contain his impatience.

He had already bid farewell to the Tahe Sect's sect master and was preparing to return to Zhuming Palace.

He began to suspect that the sect might have received incorrect information.

The Tahe Sect's cooperation further convinced him that the two jade pills had not been sent by their disciple.

The Tahe Sect felt awkward about keeping him any longer, as they had already benefited significantly from their brief encounter.

As the elder from Zhuming Palace departed, the three workshop masters couldn't help but express their sentiments.

They were grateful for this wonderful misunderstanding.

All three had heard that the misunderstanding involved searching for a disciple named Su Xing.

The workshop masters were certain that it was just a misunderstanding.

In their opinion, if the Tahe Sect had such a talented alchemist, they would have already recognized and promoted them.

Moreover, the Tahe Sect's eagerness for top-tier alchemists surpassed even that of Zhuming Palace.

When discussing this with the Tahe Sect's sect master, the workshop masters were confident that it was merely a misunderstanding.

Among them was the Bing workshop master, Yan You, who had previously tested Su Chen.

He was certain that the Tahe Sect did not possess such capable individuals.

Upon learning that they were looking for a young man named 'Su Xing,' Yan You still couldn't recall anyone by that name.

He had completely forgotten about Su Chen, and the conversation they had held meant nothing to him.

In Zhuming Palace, over the past twenty days, they had been primarily focused on two tasks.

The first was to study the two jade pills sent by Su Chen.

The second was to determine who had sent these pills.

The palace's higher-ups relentlessly questioned the disciple in charge of handling the matter.

The disciple, whose mind was clouded with confusion, felt certain that he had not made a mistake; it was indeed the letter from the Tahe Sect.

However, the palace's elders repeatedly asked him to clarify and reconsider.

As a result, even he began to doubt himself.

On this day, as the Heavenly Will descended, all the elders of Zhuming Palace had returned.

Their palace master, Yao Wen, prepared to dissect one of the jade pills.

To study a pill in depth, it was necessary to cut it open.

This delicate task was undertaken by Palace Master Yao Wen himself.

As he held the precious pill in his hand, even Yao Wen felt a bit nervous.

He had dissected countless pills, but none were as valuable as this jade pill.

This was not just a pill; it was a category of pills.

It contained the secret to crafting jade pills, captivating their hearts.

In this world, only a few powers possessed some knowledge of crafting jade pills.

Even the pills produced by these powers were merely rudimentary.

These pills had fewer impurities than others, and some of their pill coatings exhibited a jade-like quality.

But the jade pill that Yao Wen was dissecting was crystal clear, surpassing the quality of other sects' jade pills by several folds.

In the eyes of these alchemists, even the most perfect celestial beauty could not compare to this pill.

The atmosphere was deathly silent, and no one dared to utter a sound.

They watched as their palace master performed the delicate task.

The blade descended, slicing into the pill's coating.

Despite the pain in his heart, this step was essential to learning something new.

Yao Wen's forehead glistened with cold sweat, a clear sign of his nervousness.

But with his exceptional skill, his hands remained steady and unwavering.

As the blade sliced through, the intricate patterns of the pill began to reveal themselves before the onlookers.

The surrounding alchemists, each an esteemed guest, stepped outside, their faces filled with anticipation.

They all looked like accomplished masters, but at this moment, as they gazed upon the pill, they couldn't help but feel a sense of embarrassment.

It was as if they were lecherous individuals, secretly peeping at a beautiful woman.

As the blade made its final cut, Yao Wen also paused.

The high-ranking members of Zhuming Palace began their discussion and research.

On the side, all the necessary ingredients were prepared.

They planned to discuss and refine the pill simultaneously.

As they reached a conclusion, they would immediately put it to the test.

During this testing process, Yao Wen learned that there were no more representatives from Zhuming Palace at Tahe Sect.

After some thought, he promptly arranged for an attendant to go there.

He instructed the attendant to wait at Tahe Sect until Su Xing returned, and then immediately inspect the situation.

It seemed that the research on this Jade Pill would take at least another day or two to complete.

Tahe Sect welcomed the idea of Zhuming Palace sending another representative.

The Jia-Yi-Bing alchemy workshops were once again filled with excitement.

The attendant from Zhuming Palace was a highly skilled individual who could offer valuable guidance to Tahe Sect's alchemy workshop.

Moreover, the attendant was even more capable than the elders in handling matters.

The elders of Zhuming Palace held an excessively high status.

The workshop masters of Tahe Sect's alchemy workshop were not on equal footing with these elders.

Asking them to interact with the Zhuming Palace elders would be somewhat disrespectful.

In comparison, the attendant seemed like a better option.

Tahe Sect could openly assign the three workshop masters to receive this attendant from Zhuming Palace.

The workshop masters needed to focus on only one task during this period—accompanying the attendant from Zhuming Palace.

Within Tahe Sect, those who heard about this matter believed it to be a misunderstanding.

However, everyone was curious as to why Zhuming Palace had sent someone, as there must have been a reason.

Upon investigation, they learned the answer from Elder Wang Shanchun.

He had previously advised Su Chen to send a letter to Zhuming Palace, suggesting that they examine the pill Su Chen had refined. Perhaps Zhuming Palace would find it impressive.

At the time, Elder Wang Shanchun had only meant it as a way to comfort Su Chen and didn't take it seriously.

But unexpectedly, it had escalated into such a situation.

Today, Elder Wang Shanchun sought out Yan You, the master of the Bing Workshop, and asked for his opinion on the matter.

Yan You replied with utmost certainty, "This is just a misunderstanding. Once the disciple named Su Xing returns, everything will become clear.

The palace master of Zhuming Palace personally visited, Elder Wang Shanchun. What kind of pill do you think it should be? Do you think Su Xing can refine it?"

With several consecutive rhetorical questions, Elder Wang Shanchun was left speechless.

The elder who had previously taken Su Chen's resources, Jiang Zhuang, had initially been slightly worried but had since completely relaxed.

He, too, sought out several workshop masters and even privately inquired with people from Zhuming Palace.

What exactly was it that those of lower status were unaware of?

But indeed, Zhuming Palace had shown an unprecedented level of importance to this matter.

In all these years, even when Zhuming Palace obtained rare and precious treasures, they had never received such attention.

Jiang Zhuang also reported the situation to his brother, the second elder of Tahe Sect.

It was confirmed that this was indeed a misunderstanding.

Tahe Sect had a disciple named Su Xing who had sent a letter to Zhuming Palace.

However, the disciples handling such matters might have gotten confused.

After all, this was also the case within Tahe Sect.

Ordinary letters were often opened directly by the inner disciples, and there wasn't much to be cautious about.

The second elder also reported this to the sect master.

Currently, the high-ranking members of Tahe Sect considered this a beautiful misunderstanding.

Speaking of which, Tahe Sect had indeed gained quite a bit from this incident.

The three workshop masters eagerly anticipated Su Chen's return, hoping he could continue his external training for a while longer, even until the end of March or April.

At this moment, Su Chen had reached the depths of Jing Bo Immortal's secret realm.

Following the instructions in the book, he had located Jing Bo Immortal's secret realm, only to find it protected by formation arrays on two consecutive occasions.

If not for his mastery of formation techniques, he wouldn't have been able to enter Jing Bo Immortal's secret realm.

As he ventured deeper, he noticed a complete absence of any signs of human presence.

It was highly likely that the cultivators in this area lacked the ability to break through the formation's barriers.

The further Su Chen ventured, the more blurred his vision became.

His entire being seemed to be enveloped in confusion.

Without hesitation, Su Chen immediately activated the 【Indomitable】

Heavenly Will Activation.

His current state was indeed somewhat amiss.

He had clearly dispelled the barrier formations blocking his path, yet he didn't feel restrained by them.

Feelings were just feelings, but his body felt utterly exhausted.

His mind was becoming hazy.

Even with the activation of the Indomitable Heavenly Will, Su Chen still felt his condition rapidly deteriorating.

In hesitation, Su Chen sat cross-legged, attempting to stabilize his mind.

In his mind, he faintly recalled the secret realm left by the Jing Bo Immortal.

There, he had gained insight from the stone pillars, a powerful mindset for cultivation advancement.

And now, Su Chen used this mindset to resist the suppression within the secret realm.

In this realm, Su Chen encountered such a powerful mental suppression for the first time.

The Jing Bo Immortal's title of 'Immortal' was indeed extraordinary.

Calm and composed.

When he opened his eyes again, the scenes before him seemed to have transformed into the landscape of his mind.

And within his mindset, it was also being eroded.

The power of the mindset in the secret realm was suppressing him.

His longsword appeared, its blade gleaming as he slashed forward with fierce determination.

The eroded areas also transformed into a human silhouette, and a sword strike was directed at him.

This moment was perilous, but Su Chen's mind remained exceptionally calm.

He had fallen into the Jing Bo Immortal's illusion, and he could only fight back.

This illusion might be an obstacle or a test.

But Su Chen understood that he must prevail.

In a moment of thought, the Blade Spirit Heavenly Will was activated.

His longsword directly unleashed a move from the Nine Heavens Blade Technique.

Facing his own surging and fierce attack, the phantom before him dodged with a swift movement, and surprisingly countered with the Nine Heavens Blade Technique.

This phantom could mimic his moves.

Moreover, Su Chen also felt that within this mindset, the Heavenly Will was useless.

The assistance of the Blade Spirit and Indomitable Heavenly Wills had no effect in his heart.

Originally, he could have gained a slight advantage, but in just a moment, he was already driven to a dangerous situation.

The phantom's moves were agile, resembling his own body's nimbleness, and also possessed his fierce and sharp demeanor.

It was as if it were him, yet it wasn't.

Su Chen gradually understood that the phantom before him was like a reflection of himself, having reached the pinnacle of martial arts.

He was gradually falling behind.

But the phantom's moves were even more numerous than before, increasing the pressure.

His mindset world had more and more regions being eroded.

Su Chen wanted to dodge, and he also wanted to wake up.

The more he tried, the more his responses became exhausted, even losing the qualification to respond.

In an instant, Su Chen felt a chilling sensation piercing through his body.

Lowering his head, he saw a phantom longsword had pierced through his body.

Blood dripped from the phantom longsword.

Su Chen kept telling himself in his mind that this was all an illusion, a mere figment of his imagination.

But no matter how he thought, this feeling was incredibly real.

As the blood droplets fell to the ground, his body began to weaken, feeling cold.

He started to become feeble, losing control over his body.

Perhaps death was like this feeling.

Helpless, he passed by in a daze.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, it might have been water, or perhaps blood, dripping.

The sound woke Su Chen, bringing him back to his senses.

In this moment, he reached out as if grasping something.

Looking closely, he held the phantom longsword.

This time, Su Chen pressed against the longsword and lunged forward.

The longsword in his hand also stabbed towards the phantom at that instant.

With a single strike, the phantom was completely destroyed.

The eroded mindset returned to its original state.

But his body no longer endured the scorching heat of his inner fire.

Within his mindset, his body was enveloped in freezing cold.

The Fifth Stage Snow Intent Realm, this was the feeling.

This Snow Intent was the realization after falling into a deep valley.

It was the understanding of reaching a desperate situation.

At this moment, Su Chen finally understood why the Fifth Stage had the Snow Intent Realm.

Why after the scorching inner fire, there would be a Snow Intent.

Originally, on the path to becoming a powerful warrior, one must experience a low point, falling into it.

When one rises again, they take a step into the Transformation Realm.

Su Chen could sense that the advancement from the Fifth Stage Snow Intent wasn't significant.

This layer was the low point before the Transformation Realm.

This hurdle, if overcome, one enters the Transformation Realm, a leap in cultivation.

If not, one remains forever stuck at this Fifth Stage, content to stay in this realm.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end